Nationally-Ranked Cumberlands Defeats SMC

Campbellsville, Ky. – No. 16 Cumberlands raised its record to 9-0 with a 102-77 win over the Spartanburg Methodist College men's basketball team.

For Spartanburg Methodist College (3-6), the Pioneers had three players with 18 points – Bryan Bayonne, Kenny Burns and Kaleb Thurman in the defeat as they fall to 3-6.

For Cumberlands, Matthew Cromer had a triple double with 23 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists in the win as they raise their record to 9-0. DJ Jones added a double double with 15 points and 12 assists, Anthony Johnson scored 34, Brady Bell added 11 and Ryan Davidson had 10 as five Patriots scored in double figures.

The Patriots are the first nationally-ranked team to face the Pioneers, who are in its first year as a member of the NAIA.

Cumberlands raced out to an early 10-2 lead in the win, extending the lead to as much as 17 in the first half. In the first 20 minutes, an 11-2 run cut the deficit to seven – 25-18 - for its smallest margin in the contest.

The Pioneers will be idle for the next nine days before they will host Thomas University on December 2 at 5 p.m.